The main goal of mechanical heart valve research is to create an implantable device capable of replacing diseased or failing native heart valves. Complications such as thromboemboli formation, hemolysis, valve pitting and failure, clot formation, stable bubble generation and an increased risk of stroke have all been linked with mechanical heart valves. Cavitation, defined as the formation and collapse of vaporous bubbles due to a rapid local pressure drop, has been linked to several of these damaging occurrences. The proposed work will involve isolating the cavitation signal to better quantify the amount, strength, and type of cavitation produced by different loading conditions, valve geometries and implanted materials. Specifically, a novel method will be developed which implements wavelets to deconstruct, denoise, and then rebuild the acoustic signal associated with mechanical valve closure and rebound. This procedure will be implemented first in vitro, in degassed water, and then in vivo, in pig models in order to better understand which mechanical designs and experimental conditions are most beneficial for patients needing heart valve replacements. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]